By: Des Iskandar
Source: http://www.malaysiandigest.com/
UMRAH is an important act of worship for Muslims. In Arabic, Umrah means to make ‘minor’ pilgrimage to the holy land of Mecca. Unlike Hajj, Umrah isn’t compulsory but it is a recommended act of worship for Muslims who can afford it.
And for those who can afford it, it is a well-worth experience that can better prepare a Muslim for Hajj, which the higher act of pilgrimage.
But despite it being a holy trip solely to fulfill one’s religious obligation; it isn’t free from being used by criminals as a means to earn easy money by committing fraud.
Of late, many unsuspecting Muslims in the country have been cheated by fraudulent and fake Umrah travel packages. There have been many reports of unscrupulous agents acting individually or representing dubious travel companies that cheat those who want to make their Umrah.
Their modus operandi almost always is to attract customers by offering very low price Umrah packages. While the average cost of an Umrah package typically costs around RM5500 (USD $1700.00 approx.), these agents will propose a price that is cheaper by half.
But beyond the lure of a cheaper rate, most are duped into these fraudulent schemes because of other reasons as well. One such reason people get cheated is that most have the notion that because Umrah is a religious travel arrangement, it is unthinkable that anyone would be dishonest. Another reason is that these fake agents sometimes appear and pose as pious individuals, normally well versed in matters of Umrah (and the tight quota imposed for pilgrims here) and the religion in general.
Some dubious travel companies even hire bona fide religious teachers or highly regarded members of a particular community to do their dirty work for them, and leave them to take the blame once they’ve gone scott-free with the deposits.
Many unfortunate would-be Umrah pilgrims usually realised that they are victims at the very last minute, left stranded at the airport. The excuse given is a convenient one, such as a regrettable failure to obtain the necessary Visas from the Saudi authorities.
They will also announce a return of customers’ deposits but later abscond or disappear with their ill-gotten gains.
According to the consumer claims tribunal (TTPM) statistics, last year there were 781 Umrah fraud cases amounting to a total loss of RM4.37 million, an increase of more than double than in 2012, which was 381 cases totalling RM2.71 million.
The number of reports of fraudulent Umrah packages also increased by a whopping 100 percent last year compared to 2012.
Needless to say this is a trend that must be curbed to protect Muslim consumers as well as the legitimate companies and individuals that offer Umrah packages.
So who should we blame?
Many would be quick to point the blame to Lembaga Tabung Haji – or rather their subsidiary, Tabung Haji Travel and Services – yet they are not at fault or responsible to take care of matters pertaining to Umrah fraudulent cases.
What about the travel agents association? Are they to blame?
Hamzah Rahmat, president of the Malaysian Travel and Tour Agents (MATTA) said customers must also shoulder some responsibility as it is up to them to exercise caution when offered a cheap Umrah package that is too good to be true.
”Muslim consumers must be vigilant and suspicious of cheap Umrah packages. They need to check the credentials of agents, to see whether or not they have been licenced by the Ministry of Tourism,” stressing the point to Malaysian Digest recently.
He also said that Muslims shouldn’t take the easy route to perform their Umrah by looking for lowest priced packages if they don’t want to fall victim to unscrupulous companies and individuals.
He added that people should also avoid using a middleman or representative when obtaining an Umrah travel package. He said they need to deal with travel companies directly to avoid disappointments.
“Never trust anyone who tells you that there is a supplementary cost and extra financial outlay to be channelled to charitable causes,” Hamzah added.
As far as trying to drive the prices down, Hamzah said MATTA, the Bumiputera Association of Travel and Tour Agents will be releasing a realistic minimum price guide for consumers to refer to so that they are aware of the price range before they book their Umrah packages.
MATTA, he said, also urged media advertisers to screen the background and credibility of travel companies thoroughly before they allow them to place their general travel and Umrah package advertisements to the public.
Malaysian Digest also spoke to legitimate travel agencies such as Rakyat Travel to unravel and understand the implications that concerns their business as a result of the occurrence of fraudulent Umrah packages.
According to the company’s operations manager, Mohd Hisham Shaharudin, the fraud cases don’t put an impact on their business. Agreeing with MATTA, he also said that it is the responsibility of Muslim consumers to run a background check before they proceed to make payments to any travel agency.
“The primary reason behind them being cheated is because they are easily enticed by the appeal of cheap packages. Sometimes, students also become the easy target of the syndicate,” he said.
Fact remains: many people are still unaware of the existence of such syndicate or schemes. These contribute towards the ever rising occurrence of frauds in this business.
Perhaps the precautionary message published in the Department of Awqaf, Zakat and Hajj is a good start. It reminds Muslims in the country to be a smart and vigilant consumer, who will detect and report fraud cases and enforce the law.
Don’t be a victim of Umrah fraud!
